Ilias Kasidiaris slaps Greek political foe on live TV

A manhunt is underway for the Golden Dawn member who escaped a locked room and ran away

A spokesman for a Greek far-right party has caused quite an uproar after throwing a glass of water at one leftist politician and then hitting another one in the face three times. And he did it all on live on television during a morning show.

Ilias Kasidiaris of the Golden Dawn party was locked in a room at the TV studio, but he broke down the door and escaped.

ITV News is reporting an arrest warrant has been issued and a manhunt is on for Kasidiaris.

Kasidiaris, who is a member of parliament, took offense to a comment made by radical left Syriza party member Rena Dorou about a pending court case against him. He jumped out of his chair and threw water at her for saying there was a "crisis of democracy when people who will take the country back 500 years have got into Greek parliament."

Communist party member Liana Kannelli then appears to hit Kasidiaris and he responds with three slaps to her face.

This isn't the first time the Golden Dawn party has been responsible for an episode on live TV.

In April, Greek journalist Panagiotis Bourchas was pelted with eggs live on TV for conducting an interview with Kasidiaris. Intruders broke into the studio during an evening broadcast and chucked eggs and Greek yogurt at the anchor.

The Golden Dawn party, which denies the neo-Nazi label, won 21 seats in the 300-member legislature in the May 6 vote. Greeks are seen to be punishing the two main parties over austerity measures and turning to radical smaller parties. No party won enough seats on May 6 to form a government and negotiations to form a coalition government broke down after 10 days.

Repeat elections in Greece will take place June 17.

With files from The Canadian Press